Top 10: Cerrone's Defining UFC Moments

October 10, 2017

With thirteen UFC and five WEC post-fight bonuses to his name, Donald Cerrone is one of those fighters who makes it tough to find just ten highlights from his thrill-a-minute career. But after whittling this list down to his UFC career alone and chopping down ever further, we think we’ve found the perfect ten fights to check out if you want to get up to speed on the “Cowboy” before his UFC Fight Night main event against Darren Till on Oct. 21.

Edson Barboza – UFC on FOX Result – Cerrone Wsub 1 – Performance of the Night (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)Expected to be a war for the ages between two lanky and devastating strikers, the Cerrone vs. Edson Barboza bout in April of this year started out in the Brazilian’s favor, as he tagged his foe with several flush shots. But when Cerrone came back and dropped Barboza with a jab, it was just a matter of seconds before he locked in a rear naked choke and finished matters at 3:15 of the opening stanza.

Jim Miller – UFC Fight NightResult – Cerrone KO2 – Performance of the Night (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)No one knocks out Jersey-tough Jim Miller. In fact, no one achieved that feat before or after Cerrone did in 2014, as he broke open a close fight in the second round with a thudding kick to the head that sent Miller crashing to the deck. The win was Cerrone’s fourth in a row, but he still had four more to go before he got his crack at the lightweight crown.

Eddie Alvarez – UFC 178Result – Cerrone WUD3 (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)Eddie Alvarez’ UFC debut in 2014 was one of the most highly anticipated in years, and knowing that he was going to throw hands with Cerrone made the hype meter go off the charts. And while the two didn’t pick up Fight of the Night honors that night in Vegas, there were enough heated exchanges that both men left the Octagon knowing that they had been in a battle, one which Cerrone took by unanimous decision.

John Makdessi – UFC 187Result – Cerrone TKO2 (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)Scheduled to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a title elimination bout, Cerrone instead got a late replacement foe in John Makdessi after Nurmagomedov suffered a knee injury. On paper, it was high risk low reward for Cerrone, but in reality, he was now getting an opponent who was going to stand with him, and he relished that opportunity, eventually ending the bout in the second round with a kick that broke Makdessi’s jaw.

One of my favorite fights of 2016, Cerrone and Matt Brown took turns throwing bombs at each other throughout a punishing welterweight clash, but in the third round, “Cowboy” ended matters with a flush kick to the head that put the durable Brown on the deck for good.